Chapter 11: Physical/Chemical Control Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is sterilization?
A process that destroys or removes all microbial life, including spores.
What is disinfection?
The elimination of most or all pathogens (but not spores) from inanimate surfaces.
What is antisepsis?
Destruction or inhibition of microbes on living tissue.
What is degermation?
Mechanical removal of microbes from skin (e.g., handwashing or alcohol swab).
What is decontamination?
General term for reducing or removing microbial load from an object or area.
What is sanitization?
Reducing microbial population to safe, public health levels (e.g., dishwashing).
What does sterile mean?
Free of all viable microbes, including endospores and viruses.
What are antiseptics?
Chemical agents used on living tissues to prevent infection.
What is sepsis?
Growth of microorganisms in blood or other tissues; also refers to infection.
What is asepsis?
The absence of contamination by pathogens.
What does aseptic mean?
A technique or environment free of pathogenic contamination.
What is a bactericide?
A substance that kills bacteria.
What is a germicide?
A chemical that kills pathogenic microorganisms.
What is a microbicide?
A general agent that kills microbes.
What is a fungicide?
A substance that kills fungi.
What is a virucide?
An agent that destroys viruses.
What is a sporicide?
An agent that destroys bacterial endospores.
What does bacteriostatic mean?
Inhibits the growth of bacteria without killing them.
What does microbistatic mean?
Inhibits the growth of microbes in general.
What is a surfactant?
A compound that disrupts membranes by lowering surface tension (e.g., soaps, detergents).
What does it mean to denature a protein?
Altering a protein’s shape so it loses its function (often caused by heat or chemicals).
What is moist heat?
Heat with water or steam (e.g., boiling, autoclaving) – denatures proteins more efficiently.
What is dry heat?
Hot air or flame – kills by dehydration and oxidation (e.g., incineration, hot-air ovens).
